Ecuador: Unions call for building of more sustainable cities at UN Habitat III Conference

14 November 2016 08:48

Building more sustainable and inclusive cities on the principles of decent work is an important priority for unions and on top of our national union agenda

About 35 thousand people attended the opening of the United Nations Habitat III Conference on the 17th of October in Quito, Ecuador, where governments met to discuss the inclusion and livability of urban areas in the world.

The conference takes place only once every 20 years and this was the third UN Habitat Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development since 1976. The purpose was to gather global-political commitment for sustainable development of towns, cities and other human settlements, both rural and urban.

During the conference the BWI conducted a parallel event where unions from all over the world shared experiences and asked for political commitment to build more human, inclusive and livable cities – which was demanded in a resolution expected to be adopted in the “Declaration of Quito” as a conclusion of the conference. Several government representatives participated in the meeting and listened to the unions concerns.

The activity took place at the headquarters of the Workers Confederation of Public Sector of Ecuador (CTSPE) in Quito, with the participation of representatives of affiliated organizations from Panama, Argentina, Denmark, Sweden, Brazil and Venezuela.

“Building more sustainable and inclusive cities on the principles of decent work is an important priority for unions and on top of our national union agenda,” said Marcelo Solorzano, General Secretary of CTSPE.